A movement towards a truly free Internet has begun, entitled FreeNet. The idea is that Internet users can run the FreeNet server software on their machines, and allow storage space to be used as a repository for FreeNet files.

Files are encrypted, as are requests for files, so, in theory, no one should know what he or she is storing, or who is fetching it from the drives. Files posted up to the FreeNet will exist as long as there is demand for them, and they will also intelligently move to machines with more bandwidth or closer proximity if demand for them goes up. Some of the highlights of FreeNet include the fact that there is no centralized control of information, and that it is almost impossible to remove information from FreeNet once it is published.

However, there are already concerns about what the majority of FreeNet content will be. Read CNet's article for more information.

ROB'S OPINION
Most of the concerns about FreeNet are based on fear that it will become a haven for people exchanging illegal copied software, illegal copied copyrighted works of music or film, and of course, the ever-present pornography and child-pornography concerns.

Why is it that every time a new method of information delivery is devised, the first worry is that child pornographers will overtake it? That's just a really strange idea to me. If child porn were legal, would it be a booming industry? Are laws the only thing keeping us in check from becoming ravenous child pornographers? I sometimes have to wonder about who pumps out this garbage.

FreeNet seems like it could do incredible good, but it also has the potential for incredible evil. Imagine, if you will, that someone gained access to all of my credit card numbers, my social security number, my address, my credit record, my health records, and perhaps made tapes of my private phone conversations and copied all of my e-mails and zipped them up into one big file. Scary, isn't it? How much scarier is it if all of that is posted onto FreeNet, and it is “almost impossible” to remove? Of course, you can argue that all of that can be done quite easily right now over the Internet as well, making FreeNet nothing more than a convenient extension to the Web.

With any tool of power comes great responsibility. How is FreeNet that different from hidden URL addresses, FTP servers, and IRC chat rooms where you can get all the same information? It's not, really. FreeNet is somewhat of an extreme movement that was created in response to governmental and corporate censorship of information, and the overzealous governments, religious groups, and organizations like the MPAA and RIAA have only themselves to blame if they don't like it. So far, FreeNet software has been downloaded by 20,000 people. One of the ultimate goals of FreeNet is to give a voice to dissidents trapped in oppressed governments, or living in fear.

Read the FAQ for more information and intelligent reasoning on FreeNet. Also, feel free to comment in our Message Parlor.